Alarm for automatic sprinklers.



F. A. HOWARTH & W. W. ARMOUR.

ALARM FOB AUTOMATIC SPRINKLERS. APPLICATION FILED NOV-26, 19l5.

tented Apr. 23, 1918 wen fox- WKTE eateries @FFll UEt FRANCISAsHOWARTHA-ND'WILLIAM-W. ARMOUR, OF \VORCESTEB, MASSACHUSETTS; SAID ARMOUBA$SIGNOR TO SAID HOW'ARTH.

ALARM FOR AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER'S.

'ApplicationfiIed NoVember 26, 1915.

To all whom itmay concern:

Be it'known that we, FnANoIs Ami-lo- WARTH and'l/ViLLIAM "ARMOUR, both cit1- zens of the United States, 1 residing at Worcester, in the county of WVorcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts; have I inventcd a new and useful l mprovement in an Alarm for Automatic Sprinklers, of which the following is a specification, accompanied by drawings forming a part of the same.

The object of our present invention is to provide an alarm adaptedtube-applied to an individual sprinkler head and 'to be operated directly by the action of the sprinkler head. We accomplish *the above "object, among others, by the construction and-arrangement of parts as hereinafter described, the novel features being pointed out in-the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a sprinkler head embodying our present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same shown in longitudinal section.

Fig. 8 is a bottom view of the rotating distributer.

Fig. t is a vertical sectional view of the strut through which pressure is applied to the cap for restraining the flow of water.

Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective views of the component parts of the strut.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in the different figures.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, 1 denotes a hollow screwthreaded nozzle adapted to be attached to a water supply pipe, and 2 is a hollow hub supported above the nozzle 1 by arms 3, 3. The nozzle 1 is closed by a cap at which is held against waterpressure in the supply plpe by means of a collapsible strut 5 having its lower end resting upon the cap 4 and adapted to receive at its upper end downward pressure exerted by a screw 6 held in the hub 2. The strut 5 comprises in the present instance, two members 7 and 8 united by a locking bar 9, said locking bar being held in position by a bar of solder 10, fusible at a predetermined temperature. The pressure is so applied to the cap a through the interposed strut 5 that the application of a predetermined degree of heat will melt the bar 10 and allow the strut to collapse, thereby releasing the Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 63,431.

cap l by the pressure of water in thenozzle. The construction of the strut herein-shown and described forms no part ofour present Patented Apr. 23,1218.

invention, as the same has been made the sub'ect of a co iendin aonlication filed b V a; l r .1

us November29, 1910, Serial Noufi kllid.

The lower end of the screw 6 carries a spindle 11 which bears against the upper end of: the strut 5 and forms a pivot for a rota table water distrrbuter 12. 'lhe water dis- 'tributer 12 is provided onits under sideavith curved blades 13 against which the-strea1n of water released from the nozzle 1 impinges with sufficient force to cause a rapid rotation of the water distributor 12. The outer {periphery of the water distributor 12 is prov vided with a cam shaped projection 14 which is brought into forcible contact with the lower end 15 of a lever 16 pivoted at 17 upon a bracket 18 projecting from the side of the hub 2. The upper end of the lever 16 is preferably provided with a hammer 19 in alinement with the rim of a bell 20 which is supported upon the upper end of the screw 6. The hammer 19 is normally held out of contact with the bell 20 by means of a blade spring 21.

As soon as the flow of water occurs from the nozzle 1 by the release of the cap 4, due to the collapsing of the strut 5 the water distributor 12 is rapidly rotated by the pressure of the water which impinges against the curved blades 13. The rotation of the water distributer causes a rapid vibration of the lever 16 producing a violent ringing of the bell 20 which indicates that the individual sprinkler head to which the bell. is attached has been released by the action of the heat, thereby enabling the precise location of the fire to be determined. l Ve are aware that alarm devices have been employed in connection with sprinkler systems, the operation of the alarm being determined by the duration ofthe flow of water through a sprinkler head. l Ve are also aware that it has been proposed to operate visible or audible alarms by the flow of water through a supply pipe leading to the sprinkler head. It has also been proposed to sound an alarm in connection with the flow of water from the nozzle of an individual sprinkler head. By our invention we provide extremely simple means which are entirely mechanical in their action and which depend upon the circulation of water after it has been released, thereby obviating the use of electrical devices which are uncertain in their operation.

Our invention provides for the application of individual alarms to as many sprinkler heads in each room of a building as may be required in order to insure the operation of one or more alarms whenever sufficient heat exists to release a single sprinkler head in the room.

We claim,

1.'In an automatic sprinkler comprising a framework and a nozzle supported there- 'by, a member supported in the line of the water discharge from said nozzle and rotatable thereby, a cam carried by said rotatable member, and a sound producing mechanism actuated by said cam.

2. In an automatic sprinkler comprising a framework and a nozzle supported there by, a member in the line of the water discharge from said nozzle and rotatable by the water discharge, a cam carried by said rotatable member, a lever pivoted upon the framework, a spring for holding one end of the lever in the path of said cam, a hammer carried by the opposite end of said lever, and a sound producing member in the path of said hammer.

3. In an automatic sprinkler, a framework having a screwthreaded hub, a nozzle supported by the framework, a compression screw in said hub for closing said nozzle, a sound producing member mounted on said screw, a vibrating hammer mounted on said hub, a member rotatable by the discharge from said nozzle, a cam carried by said rotatable member for actuating said hammer, and a spring for normally holding said hammer out of contact with said sound producing means.

Dated this 23rd day of November, 1915.

FRANCIS A. HOIVARTH. WILLIAM W. ARMOUR.

Witnesses PENELOPE COMBERBAOl-I, NELLIE VVHALEN.

I Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents,

Washington, D. G 

